Period after plan b one step?

[emily20]

On Feb. 18-23 I had my period. On March 17, I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend. I wasn't sure if he pulled out fast enough, so I took plan b one step about 16 hours later. My period was supposed to be due around March 20-25 (I'm irregular) and March 21 I started to have brown discharge which turned into a regular period flow a couple hours later. The bleeding lasted about 5 or 6 days, which is the usual time for my period. I also had sore breasts and cramping before which is also normal. So it felt pretty much like a real period. But now a month later, I'm about 4 days late for my second period. I read that plan b can screw up your cycles, but can it delay the second period? Also, does the bleeding mean that the plan b worked? Because I've read that period like bleeding is a side effect of the pill and doesn't mean that it worked or not.

[Heather]

You have it right, side effects, like bleeding or spotting, of the medication only tell you you took it, and had those side effects. That gives no information about the efficacy of the medication.

I hear you saying your period came and was as expected, so it seems pretty clear pregnancy is off the table here. If you need extra confirmation of that, then you can just take a pregnancy test to get it.

One additional side effect with EC is that it can knock cycles a bit out of whack for a bit, so assuming you are charting your periods correctly, and they tend to be very regular, it being late right now is probably just another side effect.

[emily20]

My periods can often be irregular, I can skip months at a time. Do you think since my periods can be irregular the pill is the cause of this?

[Heather]

There is just no way of knowing that. But again, if your concern with this is about pregnancy, then a test is the next step you need.

[emily20]

So do you think there's still a risk of pregnancy or am I in the clear?

[Heather]

I hear YOU saying you are concerned about ths, and that having your period was not enough to leave you feeling confident about it. Thus, the only thing I can recommend to change that is for you to take a pregnancy test.

I think I made clear that I feel a period demonstrates a person is not pregnant. But if you do not feel that way, a test is your nex step. This is not about what I think, it is about what you feel you need to feel confident about not being pregnant.

[emily20]

If you were in my position would you take a test or do you think that the period was enough indication that there's no risk of pregnancy?

[Heather]

Were it me, at the not-so-tender age of 45 and with enough experience with pregnancy and not-pregnancy to know, I would likely not bother with a test.